Bogie River

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Subcatchments

Smaller Catchments within the Bogie River Catchment include:

Topography

Vegetation

Riparian Habitat

The following information is summarized from the ACTFR report: Assessing the condition of riparian vegetation in the Burdekin catchment using satellitte imagery and field surveys by Leo Lymburner and John Dowe. 2006. This report can be accessed from the report section below.

iTRARC analysis of Riparian Habitat indicates that this subcatcatchment has undergone a large decrease in condition from fair in the 1970s (B+) to poor (C) at present, primarily as a result of floodplain clearing, and an increase in the potential for erosion.

more...

Wetlands

The following information is summarized from the ACTFR report: Assessing the condition of Wetlands in the Burdekin catchment using existing GIS and field knowledge for CCI by Mirjam Maughan, Damien Burrows, Barry Butler, Leo Lymburner and George Lukacs. 2006. This report can be accessed from the report section below.

Although a large catchment, the Bogie River is only a seasonal system with few significant permanent waterbodies, except in its lowest reaches where several large waterholes provide significant aquatic habitat and are of considerable value (Jim Tait pers. comm.). Apart from the assessment and description of wetlands in this catchment by Blackman et al. (2002), very little is known about the ecology and condition of aquatic habitats of this sub-division, but it is considered likely to be similar to adjoining sub-divisions.

Bogie River wetland condition summary...

Water

SedNet Modelling of Water Quality

The following statistics are summarized from the CSIRO report: Improved SedNet Modelling of Grazing Lands in the Burdekin Catchment by Kinsey-Henderson, A., Sherman, B. and Bartley, R. 2007. This report can be accessed from the report section below.

Model results for the Bogie River sub-catchment are summarized as follows:

Subcatchment modelled area: 2,227 sq. km.

Source contributions: Hillslope = 82%; Gully = 12%; Streambank = 6%

Area of subcatchment with <50% ground cover: 398 sq. km or 18% of subcatchment

Hillslope sediment supply: 687 kg/ha/yr

Total suspended sediment (flow weighted) supply: 187 kt/yr

Total suspemded sediment supply (flow weighted; normalized to area): 842 kg/ha/yr

Total suspended sediment end-of-subcatchment (flow weighted) yield: 171 kt/yr

Event Mean Concentration (EMC - flow weighted): 559 mg/L

Mean Annual Flow: 306,244 ML

Hillslope erosion is identified as the major source of sediment and particulate nutrients affecting water quality within the Bogie River sub-catchment (82%), and is predicted to contribute 687 kg/ha/yr. 18% of the subcatchment is estimated to have poor ground cover (<50%). Gully erosion is estimated to contribute 12% of the total sediment load of 187 kt/yr. Total suspended sediment loss from all sources is predicted to be high (842 kg/ha/yr). The event mean concentration of suspended sediment is predicted to be moderate (559 mg/L).

Water Quality Monitoring

The monitoring sites in the Bogie River catchment include the lower Bogie site (at Kirknie Station), located 5 km upstream of the junction with the Burdekin River and the upper Bogie site (at Mt Pleasant Station) located in the upper reaches of the catchment. Both sites have been sampled by the BDTNRM Volunteers program for 2 years. The catchment area for the lower Bogie monitoring site is 1,742 sq km, of which 97.2% is used for grazing while the upper Bogie monitoring site has a catchment area of 257 sq km, of which 99.5% is used for grazing. Intermediate suspended sediment concentrations have been measured in the Bogie River catchment (mean concentrations of the 10 samples collected at the lower Bogie site of 607 mg/L). This concentrations compares well with the event mean concentration predicted by the SedNet model. The Bogie River contributes a considerable proportion to the suspended sediment export from the Burdekin River due to its close proximity to the Burdekin River mouth.

Relevant information of Water Quality Monitoring in the Bowen Broken Bogie River Basin can be found by following these links:

Environmental Uses and Values

The following summary of environmental uses and values is based on information extracted from the following reports: Social, Economic, Cultural and Environmental Values of Streams and Wetlands in the Burdekin Dry Tropics Region by Greiner, R and Hall, N. 2006 and the Burdekin Basin Draft Water Resource Plan by Queensland Dept. of Natural Resources, Mines and Water, 2006. The Greiner and Hall 2006 report may be accessed from the report section below.

Definition of Environmental Values in the Queensland Water Quality Guidelines

Aquatic Ecosystems:

The aquatic ecosystem values of an area within the Bogie River subcatchment, corresponding to a section of Mount Aberdeen National Park that straddles the Bogie Range and includes Pine Hill, Highlanders Bonnett and a section of the Aberdeen Nature Refuge area, has been identified as containing High Ecological Value (HEV) waters by technical experts and workshops. Due to the rugged nature of the landscape the area has remained in a largely natural condition. The aquatic ecosystem values of other parts of the subcatchment are considered to be Slightly to Moderately Disturbed (SMD) as a consequence of the surrounding land use.

Bogie River subcatchment draft HEV waters

Irrigation:

Suitability of water for irrigation of crops and pastures.

Stock Watering:

Water supply for production of healthy livestock.

Primary Recreation:

Secondary Recreation:

Visual Recreation:

Swimming, recreational fishing, sailing and boating.

Drinking Water:

Suitability of raw drinking water supply.

Cultural and Spirtual:

Custodial use of water resources by Birri and Gia traditional owners.

Landuse

Principle land uses within the Bogie River subcatchment as a proportion of total area:

Grazing: 97.1%

Conservation & minimal use: 1.8%

Water: 1.2%

Urban & semi urban: Limited urban & semi urban activity use identified.

Grazing Land

Bogie River is a relatively small subcatchment, although the largest in the Bowen Broken Bogie Basin, where the dominant land use is grazing on natural pastures.

Land Condition

Definition of ABCD land condition framework

Results of a Rapid Land Condition Assessment (adopted from Hassett et al. 2000) are presented below. The assessment has been devised to subjectively characterise condition while traversing the BDT region by vehicle. The data are based on a total of 4666 observations across the Burdekin region between 2004 and 2007.

The data were collected to provide independent information on land condition and provide a regional perspective. Resource assessment data are most useful when interpreted with other sources of data e.g. time-series remote sensing, modelling and water quality monitoring.

The estimated condition of the Bogie River sub-catchment is proportioned as follows:

A Condition: n/a
B Condition: 75%
C Condition: 25%
D Condition: n/a

Data from the Bogie River sub-catchment is based on 4 observations.

On the basis of the rapid assessment, the Bogie River sub-catchment is estimated to have the largest proportion of land in fair (B) condition (75%), followed by poor (C) condition (25%) Data not avilable for (A) & (D) condition land.

Ground Cover

Ground Cover in the Bogie River sub-catchment is proportioned as follows:

( BC) Bare Cover: 0%
( LC) Low Cover: 0%
( MC) Moderate Cover: 0%
( HC) High Cover: 100%
(VHC) Very High Cover: 0%

Data from the Bogie River sub-catchment are based on 1 observations.

On the basis of the rapid assessment (2004-2007), the Bogie River sub-catchment is estimated to have (100%) high (HC) ground cover.

Resource Condition Summary

Bogie River is a relatively small subcatchment where land use is dominated by grazing on natural pastures. Less than 2% of the land is set aside for conservation and other minimal use. Riparian habitat in this subcatchment has declined over the last 30 years due to floodplain clearing and increased gaps in stream vegetation. Riparian vegetation was in fair (B) condition in the 1970s, but by 2004 its condition had declined to poor (C). The Bogie River subcatchment is a largely sandy, dry seasonal creek system with few permanent waterholes, except in its lowest reaches where several large waterholes provide significant aquatic habitat and are of considerable value. However, very little is known about the ecology and condition of aquatic habitats.

Hillslope erosion is identified by models as the major source of sediment and particulate nutrients affecting water quality within the Bogie River subcatchment. Gully erosion is also predicted to contribute substantially to the total sediment load. The rate of soil erosion is predicted to be high and close to the Basin average, while the total soil loss from the subcatchment to waterways is also comparatiely high. There are too few observatons to make an assessment of land condition reliable. However, analyses of ground cover from satelite imagery (reference) show that while the mean ground cover has recovered well from a low of 71% in 1995 to 94% in 2006, there is a substantial area of marginal 'D' condition land in the central part of the subcatchment.

Water quality in the Bogie River is predicted by models to be moderately impacted by suspended sediment during wet season event flows, with elevated concentrations at end-of-subcatchment. Water quality monitoring data from 2 years compare well with concentrations predicted by models.

Bogie River is identified as a priority subcatchment for rehabilitation on the basis of its high rate of soil erosion and large area of marginal 'D' condition land. The Bogie River is also expected to contribute substantially to the suspended sediment export from the Burdekin River due to its close proximity to the Burdekin River mouth.

Draft Environmental Values

An area within the Bogie River subcatchment, corresponding to a section of the Mount Aberdeen National Park that straddles the Bogie Range and includes Pine Hill, Highlanders Bonnett and a section of the Aberdeen Nature Refuge area, has been identified as containing High Ecological Value (HEV) waters by the BWQIP ecological values technical panel. Due to the rugged nature of the landscape the area has remained in a largely natural condition. The aquatic ecosystem values of other parts of the subcatchment are considered to be Slightly to Moderately Disturbed (SMD) as a consequence of the surrounding land use. The human use Environmental Values of the Bogie River subcatchment are understood to include recreation (swimming, fishing & visual appreciation), irigation, stock watering, human consumption, drinking, and the cultural and spiritual values of the Birri and Gia traditional owners.